I, Vipertacus

Just wanted to say, seeing so many of the regulars change their name in honour of Colonial Viper is awesome. That tells me this is a real community. We discuss, argue, fight, and we respect. We’re not like the disgrace of an MP who has hounded CV into silence because she can’t handle honest criticism (and she’s not just a disgrace for that – she’s the first Labour MP in the history of her seat to let it go blue). Proud of you lot for standing beside our own against a bully.

190 comments on “I, Vipertacus”

Agreed Zet. Great to see the real left standing up against the rogernome retread hijackers currently running the Labour caucus.

My friends were heavied in an attempt to intimidate me to stop posting during the leadership contest between Shearer and Cunliffe. Clearly someone in Wellington didn’t like me saying their pony was a rightwing puppet who couldn’t lead a party to save himself. Despite me only stating the obvious, it spurred a pretty awful and nasty intimidation campaign. They knew the people being threatened weren’t me, but they knew too that doing that to my friends would quieten me. How shitty North-Korean is that?

So far it’s been CV, millsy, Peter Wilson, and me – that I know of – but who knows who else has been leaned on to shut up?

Here are some more eloquent comments from other leftwing bloggers on the jaw dropping stupidity of some in the caucus (and the rest of the caucus that doesn’t stop it and thereby tacitly endorses it):

Also, New Zealand, I’m going to miss you. I’m not going anywhere but another term under these NActoids will make you virtually unrecognizable to me and the Labour party are proving just how much they are striving to lose…

Right, time for me to start really writing and blogging myself. I welcome any politician and/or their flunkies to try to bully me, in fact, I almost look forward to it 🙂 It would seem to me, that whoever is calling the shots in the Labour party is failing to get any synapses to fire. The entire caucus seems to open there mouths to change feet.

Kia Kaha Tangata, they need us more than we need them, somehow some have forgotten this and will have to be reminded gently, loudly and as often as possible! Night folks.

Yes it’s great the way people have rallied in support of CV and free speech for all. And some of the names thought up are brilliant, I like Vindow Viper especially.

Hope this blows up in “her” face like “she” never expected, but seriously who in their right mind would attempt such a vile witch hunt? Can’t be anyone worth having in a NZ parliament, “she” should come clean and apologise or be sent packing.

Hey now, it’s not like displaying a complete lack of interest in criticism or debate or understanding of how the internet works could damage the party. Not the way a trumped-up media-created logistically-impossible leadership challenge could. No discipline necessary.

Well I, not being a Labour party member, have nothing to lose, so I enjoy a certain freedom to say that I am quite astonished – not at the audacity, the cruelty, the authoritarianism, but the sheer bloody stupidity of Curran, someone I already knew was not not quite the sharpest tool in the shed full of blunt instruments.

How the Hell did she delude herself into thinking that this wouldn’t get out? This is the member delegated to deal with social media and, well, as Talleyrand said, her behaviour is not only wrong, it is is a mistake, and if she can’t comprehend how withering such a criticism might be, then…

Sorry, I’m going to need surgery to remove my palm from my face. It’s almost as dumb as something Mallard might do (and I know that this is not the first time that she has shown herself to be an utter incompetent when it comes to understanding the web).

The blogs could be Labour’s strongest tool, and yet they think this Internet fad thingy is just going to go away or can be “managed” somehow.

Words fail me – really – how can anyone be so stubbornly thick ?

What century do these fools inhabit?

Anyway, since I’m sure that this metaphor will come up soon, King Canute did indeed stage a demonstration at the seaside in which he ordered the rising tide to retreat. However, the real king did so to demonstrate to his sycophantic courtiers that no-one, not even a king, could command tides.

There’s a lesson in that, Curran, Mallard, Goff, King, Robertson and Shearer, and all your Mini-Me’s like Hipkins.

If there’s one thing, one slogan to deliver, it is this, and it should be repeated to the Labour caucus at every opportunity every time they screw up, every time they are asleep at the wheel – which means all the time:

YOU CALL YOURSELVES OUR REPRESENTATIVES. YOU WORK FOR US – REMEMBER THAT. YOU ARE DELEGATED TO WORK FOR US AND WE DESERVE BETTER

I found out how important anonymity was when POAL heavied my employer after I posted about the fuckup that is POAL, in another blog, under my real name.

Also years ago when I was on a US oil rig opposing the removal of cabotage.
I will always be grateful to the American toolpusher, who refused to sack me for my politics, even though he did not agree with them.

Fortunately my current employer works well with unions, and had no problem with me, but that is not always the case.

I no longer think that the current Labour caucus are different enough from National to be worth getting them in.

It may be better to let National, and the current Labour caucus, fuckup, another three years so we actually get a Government that believes in democracy (even if it is only the travesty called representative democracy) and free speech. Let them fuckup so badly that we start to demand real democracy and real rights to protest without being heavied.

viperidae 7.2 1 1 1
Leave the present political shower to fight over the leavings of our country and then we come in after and try and fix?? There has already been much lost that we hold dear in our democracy. Another three years, we just might be left with the bare boards of a warehouse empty of valuable society-building and maintaining policies and further we’ll find we’re under surveillance to ensure that we can’t get capacity to attempt a reinstall of the good stuff.

There are numbers of political tools that can be used against the people’s best interests in a democracy. Look at the other democracies ‘real’ and sham. It’s hard to tell which is which sometimes. Democracy is just a vehicle for running the country and needs constant checking and oversight to keep it running right. We’ve found sadly, that you can’t take your eyes off the road without damage.

We have had our system badly overhauled by neo lib contractors with no commitment to the clients, the stakeholders, the people, except themselves and their next payoff. What’s left of our precious must be fought for. They don’t make them like this any more.

“There’s a lesson in that, Curran, Mallard, Goff, King, Robertson and Shearer, and all your Mini-Me’s like Hipkins.”

The Lesson is that they don’t get back in. And we get some people who actually know how to turn on and use a Computer. Who, if really pushed can actually string words together, to make things called sentences.

Clare is caucus sec and rep to council so she is the front person on this and spokesperson for ITC logic would place her at the front of this issue within the power clique.

Context Clare has said some unusual statement over the last few years even posting on whale oil etc.

I think this is a witch hunt to silence dissent within the ranks, limit freedom of speech and opinions and stop the power balancing shift to the members and is out to protect the great leader. After all the clique have a plan to win the election.

First cunliffe, then left active bloggers, who next I wonder. Couldn’t they just take it to the Tories and do the job we demand of them. They represent us after all.

Words have power after all, I wonder what deeds and real actions could do.

Honestly, if you pay membership fees or vote as part of that crew you’re condoning the bullying treatment they’ve handed out to your mate. Disgusting. Anyone who thinks they can effect change by remaining a member of that party is now tarred with the bullies’ brush.

I call bullshit on that as well – my membership is there for the same reasons it’s always been which has nothing to do with the bullying of bloggers, as b-v-b said Feb will give us the chance to remove the leadership and any soft right leaning policy shifts the party may be heading toward.

You cannot defend the indefensible (bullying internally or externally) and those causing the bullying need to ask themselves what do they expect to gain from silencing and bullying members just because they do not agree with the leadership of the Labour party?

They deleted the post.
Very innocuous post agreeing with the post.
Oh well at least they have my email address and full name now.
Every work day I look out at Clare office….funniest thing ever is design of office, a small hatch slide window is access for the people, not open at all.
A walled off outpost in a sea of desperate people that is South D where Clare when she is there can look out the glass walls and see…what I wonder…her reflection.

Still I am a double ticker call me thicker than water if you may or feb

I’ve been coming here on a regular basis for a few years now and, although I rarely post anything, I often find the comments to be more stimulating than the article they’re attached to. By no means is this to suggest that I find the articles to be ill informed nor poorly written, or whatever, but that statement is a testament to how illuminating I find much of the debate that takes place on this blog. For example, I’m currently taking a Bachelor of Social Work, and I’ve trawled through here on several occasions looking for ideas when I’ve had assignments due that covered social policy. Especially so when I’ve wanted to check for some well-crafted musings on neoliberal welfare discourse, the social effects of free-market policies, and general critiques of capitalism.

Anyway, one of the names that has always stuck out for me here is Colonial Viper. Admittedly, I didn’t always agree with the dude, but I most definitely always took the time to read through what he had to say if he was discussing a topic of interest for me. I don’t really know what else to say other than, this is fucking bullshit.

All the signs are that the Shearer gang still have the numbers in caucus to prevent a membership vote in February.

They have achieved this by using the current rules, threatening to demote any MP who dares stand up to them.

I thought that this would remain the current state of affairs up to and past February.

And that’s where it would have ended. The membership may have been disgruntled but would have still got behind caucus come the election.

However this latest effort to crush democracy inside the Labour Party that has so incensed people, makes me wonder if the Shearer gang has gone to far.

There is no doubt that the Shearer gang controls caucus. But now that they are determined to reach down into the lower ranks to exert their authority, (that is barely legitimate), they may have started something they cannot stop.

That is, a will from the membership to have their way. Against the minority of caucus that seek to frustrate that will. The ABCs did it in the original selection for leader and they did it again by demoting Cunliffe from any responsible role post conference. And they intend to continue to frustrate the membership desire for change come February……..

Unless…….. the membership are so upset they choose to go to defcon 1, and react to caucus threats with threats of an organised membership strike against any MP that overrides the wishes of their LEC and votes with the Shearer gang.

So all bets are off.

And there is still a chance that the current leadership could be overturned come February and a more left leaning caucus united by a forceful, tested and experienced leader could see the Nats and Key facing a real and determined opposition party.

What kind person stops posting their passionately held opinions just because a chinless wonder in the Labour hierarchy goes on a “witch-hunt”. They dont actually burn witches any more and the ruling faction doesn’t have the powers of a witch-finder pursuivant. If Labour’s activist base is more concerned with membership of a dysfunctional party which ceased representing the working class decades ago, rather than the right to freedom of expression, then there truly is no hope for reclaiming the party from the clique that hijacked it in the first place.

Karol, that deserves a post of its own. For instance, why do you think that the ABCs have the numbers? If they only won by 1 or 2 votes last year, have so many MPs shifted that the 60% +1 threshold is a given?

Also, an explanation of how things work at the local level would be useful eg the relationship between the LEC and the electorate MP (what about the list MPs?). And isn’t the vote confidential, so how would the members know who voted which way? Or is that an open secret?

……why do you think that the ABCs have the numbers? If they only won by 1 or 2 votes last year, have so many MPs shifted that the 60% +1 threshold is a given?

Colonial Weka

David Shearer appears to be weighing up his options for deputy prime minister between Green co-leader Russel Norman and NZ First leader Winston Peters as he looks for ways to reward support partners without letting go of the key finance portfolio.

Vernon Small

IMO It is also through his power over appointments and demotions that Shearer is threatening, or rewarding members of the Labour Party caucus.

I used to enjoy commenting on another site called Aocafe. The site was a host for Māori opinions and dissent. The site also attracted a great deal of expert commentary on various aspects of Te Ao Māori, the Māori worldview. Much like this site it was very much a community of diverse peoples – coming together to debate issues far-ranging and wide of particular importance to whānau, hapū and community.

The site dissappeared from the netscape when Police siezed its servers as part of the Urerewa raids. Until that time I never thought it possible to miss people you have never met, or miss something that never was. Aocafe was an important contributor to the Māori body politic.

The Standard is an important part of the political scape of this country. Absolutely, we must stand against those that would seek to silence its voice or erase its effectiveness at exposing the incompetence and immorality of the government and its opposition counterpart.

Adele, I assume the Blog never got up and running again? The Urerewa raids are clearly a case of where police power was out of control. Being from the Eastern BOP and knowing a number of people from Ruatoki and Taneatua, who know Tame well, are absolutely adamant that there is no way these guys were doing what they have been allegedly sent to jail for.

The relevance of this in terms of this particular post is when people are in powerful positions (Police, Caucus members, who ever) they need to treat it with respect, I would have hoped that Labour Party caucus members would be the last group that would abuse power. I’m absolutely comfortable that my Labour party rep has integrity and would not abuse her power but clearly other caucus members have issues.

You assume correctly, Aocafe was never able to relaunch itself back onto the web. I am also from the Eastern Bay of Plenty and also share the view that there is no way that Tame and the others were ever intending to harm other human beings.

I think we share the same Labour MP and I agree that she has integrity in spades. I do however think that it is possible for a person of integrity to support something inherently wrong because they lack sufficient depth and breadth of analysis – the very reason why the dissenting voice is invaluable to decision-making. The dissenter provides the counter-argument and an astute and noble leader would rather cultivate the dissenting voice than seek to cull it.

“For all that [ Cunliffe’s ] supporters, inside and outside the caucus, are insisting that he did nothing wrong, he really and truly did the coupster’s equivalent of waving his knickers at disembarking sailors. He followed several of the bog-standard, by-the-numbers steps taught in Coups 101, to the point that he might have studied at the knee of Maurice Williamson, Brian Connell or Richard Prebble…

…his failure, as party finance spokesman last election, to produce his policy work on time and to do sufficient heavy lifting on the campaign trail. At one crucial point, he even went on holiday. Either he was lazy, or was deliberately being unhelpful, colleagues fumed…most concluded the latter: that he had deduced that Labour would lose quite badly (admittedly not a daring conclusion) and had decided to assist Phil Goff’s image of weakness by not helping too much…when an MP as olde-worlde courteous and decent as Goff goes openly dog on you, it’s time to reflect.”
”

LOL.

And you ninnies are now wailing about the purging being undertaken by the top brass.

Anyway you can go join the Greens, so its not like you will be left homeless.

Come on Kiwi Prom – look who is writing that tripe in the Listener. Non other than the latest hand-holder of the drake Mallard. I watched Cunliffe at election time : he was superb with a low income, state housing audience in the north. He didn’t talk down to them, they understood him – and they wanted more ! Its a pity the rightwing caucus are so blind that they cannot see what they’re losing.

“when an MP as olde-worlde courteous and decent as Goff goes openly dog on you, it’s time to reflect.””

or maybe Goff was looking for a scape goat for his below par performance, he simply did not get the facts together to support his Policy. The sad thing is that Shearer looks very similar when discussing the new Housing Policy…who does Shearer blame? They need to take responsibility for their own hopelessness.

You only have to view Mood of The Boardroom performance by Cunliffe to see his form in Nov 2011.

From your ill-considered use of the phrase “you lot” it appears that you blithely assume the wide array of TS contributors supporting CV and others in the face of bullying – actually it’s more akin to blackmail – are all Labour Party rank and file.

The issue you need to get your head around is that the people you are superciliously talking down to and calling “you lot”, represent many who value freedom to debate under a pseudonym on the web.

Til this happened I had little interest in the leadership of the Labour Party. For me I was waiting for some left wing policy to emerge – I even proffered the sorts of policies I would welcome – a decent increase in benefit rates, a commitment to an 8 hour working week (you know that thing the pretend to be Labour Party is so proud of on their website), a increase in taxation for people like me who can afford it, strengthening union members powers including the right to strike, etc.

After the increased powers given to members I seriously considered for the first time joining the Labour Party and not just voting for it. I held off knowing one swallow a summer does not make.

I’ve managed teams where I have had people undermining the team. In my experience engaging with them, particularly when you know deep down they are there because they care, is the most effective strategy. It’s a people focussed strategy that doesn’t treat the dissenter as a human resource. It also means that sometimes you find out that you the boss aren’t always right or on the same wavelength as your staff. You cannot order someone to willingly follow.

It takes a bit more time and takes a bit more effort and doesn’t guarantee success but is successful more often than not but importantly builds a stronger more committed team over time.

Why am I now interested in the leadership – because such an approach and the alternative of forced compliance can only come from the person running the team.

If you can’t bring people who are committed to good things for the ordinary working people onside and I have no doubt from his postings CV does – those who know him personally and within the Labour Party would have a much better idea than I.

Forcing compliance and silence is not the answer here.

It will be interesting to me then how Shearer responds. Will we see a backdown, an acknowledgement that the party got this wrong and that Shearer will personally engage with those who are being pushed out of the way and marginalised?

Will he alternatively come out and explain why they have taken the position they have and why the Labour Party needs to do this?

Or will we just hear zilch from him while minions behind the scenes carry out his bidding, putting their own twists on it like prison camp commanders or southern Texas sheriffs.

But me I’m just a voter commenting on a blog. Apparently I’m not read and I don’t count.

I was waiting for some left wing policy to emerge – I even proffered the sorts of policies I would welcome – a decent increase in benefit rates, a commitment to an 8 hour working week (you know that thing the pretend to be Labour Party is so proud of on their website), a increase in taxation for people like me who can afford it, strengthening union members powers including the right to strike, etc.

THIS. These are the questions I ask Labour MPs when I see them. “Do you support compulsory overtime for a person working more than 8 hours in one day, or 40 hours in one week?” If they cannot give me an unadulterated and unqualified yes, then I don’t really have anything more to ask them.

Though I’m a Green member, and my identity is pretty transparent (its only function is to sidestep Google, not who I am), I’m still very concerned by this. And rather outraged by the way in which those I know are being marched towards “managed democracy”. Good luck to you all.

I agree with you whole heartedly!!! This is exactly what I would expect an experienced Leader to do. Shearer’s leadership style is simply not suited as Leader of a major political party, and I cannot see for the life of me how anyone could think that he has what it takes to Lead Labour to victory in 2014. I wouldn’t be surprised if Curran didn’t pass this in front of Shearer before she started down this path, clearly under Shearer there is a huge void in leadership and the caucus (Shearer’s mob) are free to do what they want.

I’m a relatively new member and I am incredibly disappointed at how Labour is operated. In my view it comes back to Leadership. For example, at the conference I would have expected Shearer to open the Conf on both Sat and Sun, he should have rallied the Caucus members, let a few of them say a few words, just create a bridge between the members and caucus, instead the caucus members wondered around randomly and there was just a lack of connection.

If you can’t bring people who are committed to good things for the ordinary working people onside and I have no doubt from his postings CV does – those who know him personally and within the Labour Party would have a much better idea than I.

You have nailed it VDOS, great leaders rarely use their formal power, and that is the problem with this lot in Caucus, they have the formal power to do what they are doing but in doing so, they are losing a group of members who are probably the most passionate and committed.

Shearer is not the answer, nor is it any of his ABC supporters in Caucus. This group have done a lot of damage, they have created a big divide within Labour. I am sure that many of the ABC’ers have managed to convince their LEC/Branches that Cunliffe is evil (as we witnessed at the Conf) and Shearer is the answer but the free thinking/cleverer members can see the situation for what it is worth. Keeping Shearer at the helm is handing power to National in 2014.

The situation in Labour is not flash, we have a below average leader, we have a caucus who are leaderless and out of control, trying to exert what ever power they can get a hold of. We have a proven/outstanding MP who only has the support of 12 of his caucus members however has the majority membership support.

I dont know what the answer is, but I do know that who ever becomes Leader in the future she/he needs to take some advice from Viperous Descendant of Smith…because that is the only way this faction issue is going to be mended.

What an ugly place the Labour Party caucus has become! And in doing it, they are becoming everything they were set up to oppose.

I will continue to vote Green (or vote Mana). Unfortunately, any Labour led government will likely contaminate it’s support partner with its undemocratic and dictatorial practices. Unless the Labour Party can be turned to a better course, the future of NZ’s political landscape is bleak.

I made a comment or two yesterday about how the Labour caucus has become the Menz Party – they have been sucked into the NAct agenda, and are making the main battlefield the economy, and between alpha males. Now we see there are at least a couple of women acting behind the scenes to support suich a macho-caucus front. What a disgrace!

There are plenty of competent women in the Labour and Green Party caucus. Some, along with some men, ARE working on very important policies for struggling and low income kiwis. I’m sorry to see such efforts marginalised.

I’ve never been a member of any political party, and my work life is drawing to an end. I will continue to post and comment on any failings I see in opposition parties. And I certainly won’t stop writing about the disgrace the Labour Party caucus has become.

The censorship of members dissent in this manner is a new low by Labour post their character assassination of Cunliffe. …

I’m not sure this ruthless level of intimidation will do anything other than provoke a long running online guerrilla campaign by left wing activists savaging Shearer on a weekly basis all the way to the election.

It seems Shearer has replaced Pagani with a kamikaze pilot for a political advisor.

I’m not sure this ruthless level of intimidation will do anything other than provoke a long running online guerrilla campaign by left wing activists savaging Shearer on a weekly basis all the way to the election.
– Bomber

Interesting phrasing, because I’ve been thinking about the comparisons between the Labour party membership/left wing blogosphere and guerrilla/freedom fighters. And how the ABCs don’t realise they’re fighting a war that that can never win.

If you and others here keep saying “I will continue to vote Green”, don’t be surprised if the leadership wants you out. Having said that of course I have no idea if you are a member of the LP, so my comment is not actually directed to you. More an observation of how parties work.

So therefore if I was in a party and some of the members were fomenting “trouble”and saying they were going to vote for another party, I would want them out of positions or responsibility, say electorate secretary or on an electorate executive, and I would organise to get that outcome.

Wayne, as I’ve always said, I’ve never been a member of a political party – not the NZ Labour Party or any other. If they start taking repressive action against people like me, they truly show they are anti-democratic.

As indeed they cannot, which of course you know. Party rules can only apply to Party members, but as a general rule no major party would allow office holders to state they will vote for another party and that person to then continue in office. The proper course is to resign. Parties might be voluntary organisations, but they can have rules applying to their members.

It looks like they want to purge this nest of vipers from the party’s books. Gotta rig the Feb vote somehow. Won’t win the Election tho’ as they will have very little help. Will be good for the Greens tho’. Maybe that’s whats needed, a complete thrashing with all dinosaurs out. And a stunning Green victory.

Christ, Clare is just the front for this attackers on free speech by a scared and desperate clique around the great bumbler…
Preamble shearer is a middling nice guy should have a minor portfolio but that it…

The damn ‘Nactoids’ need to be sent a clear message that their actions will have consequences
in 2yrs time or even in february.
When the lion really awakes and roars, those who choose to take away democracy will
find their ‘undemocratic’ seats and arses turfed out of government and electorates.

the mallarfia is determined to sink their ship, they’ve shown utter contempt for the rank and file and an intolerance of diversity and talent. They fear Cunliffe like most inept management fear the up and coming more talented and able candidates.

Agree with a prior post, the winners are other parties. I know of many labour supporters who will turning green next poll. WTF is their to vote for with this self serving wannabes.

These jokers are treating the party as their own fiefdom not a vehicle to unseat a nasty, corrupt, dickensian, uncaring gov’t to restore some balance to workers and the hard done by, SHAME ON THEM ALL.

For me that stated observation started at high school when myself , a very high up LP Member and others within the wider group challenged the Tory elitist DP over where the student raised funds held in bank account where spent on and not on the intended common room.we threatened to sue the school, interestingly we organised a socialist group at school as a focal discussion
I’ve battled the elite management class and owner class ever since.

Had one business owner call his employees his slaves as he laught his was to being extremely wealth so yes I agree with you DTB part of the revolution is post post capitalism and a reallocation of profit – well my dream and hope.

I am amused, even slightly bemused, the Labour Caucus of NOW is nothing new and has been with us since 1984,

Even during the Clark Labour Governments the Labour Caucus was still that of a 1984 Lange/Douglas Government,

The disconnect becomes apparent when i read the pages of The Standard, the majority of comments, even those from declared Labour Party members, show on the whole that what is being espoused is in fact Green Party policy in 90% of comments posted,

Hence my slight bemusement, anyone believing that Labour are anything but the Socialist Party OF, BY, and FOR the middle class of New Zealand seems from where i sit to have been engaged in a Rip Van Winkle episode for quite some time,

It then becomes obvious that any threat to those middle class aspirations espoused from within the Labour Party will be viewed, (by those supporting the middle class agenda), as a threat, hence the recent treatment of Cunliffe and those who agitate on His political behalf openly in on-line forum,

How wide-spread the anger from Labour Party stalwarts is at the overt threats against those who continue to agitate on behalf of a Cunliffe lead Labour Party is i have no means of judging except from the on-line comments posted,

However, besides venting their on-line fury at such tactics from within the Labour Caucus those who agitate for Cunliffe should be (a), lobbying their nearest Labour MP to vote in February to trigger a Party wide vote on the leadership, and (b),advocating and agitating at Local Electorate Committee level to have remits passed that their local MP vote to trigger the leadership vote in February,

Other than the above, the only reasonable action that those so threatened from the Labour Caucus would seem to have at their disposal would be to, (tongue firmly in cheek), join a party such as the Greens who seem to in the social/economic policy areas espouse the exact same policy that was prior to 1984 central to the Labour ism,

Please note,(with a snigger),this HAS NOT been an official Green Party recruiting message, Bwana Dave Shearer et al are busy filling that role in a freelance capacity at the moment…

Anyone not having a context from within which to view my contention of the 2012 Labour Party being solely a socialist party of, for, and by the New Zealand middle class need only look at the relevant party’s, (Labour/Green), housing policy,

Labour = borrow 1.5-2 billion dollars and build 30,000 houses at a retail price to those who will buy them, (presumably), on market terms of $300,000+, thus, in it’s announced form such a housing policy by it’s adherence to ‘market qualification’, (deliberately???), excludes from such housing those with insufficient income to service a 300 thousand+ mortgage,

Greens= build 30,000 new State houses, if their is budgetary constraint to construction simply print the monies necessary and build the housing at such a pace as to spend the monies into the economy while paying due regard to the Reserve Bank’s inflation targets band,

30,000 new state houses would allow for the ‘working poor’, those who daily toil in the non-professional areas of economy at or just above the minimum wage while raising families who have no hope of becoming financially upwardly mobile to enjoy a fixed rent regime of 25% of household income thus freeing them from the current norm of paying between 50-60% of their income into the private rental market, as such families are housed they would by dint of household income and rents paid reduce the overall taxpayer subsidy in the whole State owned housing portfolio,

The Green housing policy is nothing ‘new’, it was once at the core of Labour Party values and while Labour still hold to the 25% of income as the benchmark rent for ‘the poor’ their ‘will’ to increase markedly the number of such houses is sadly lacking,

While the economics of construction within both Party’s policy vis a vis employment and further ongoing production are much the same the end result is obviously quite markedly different,

Under the Labour housing proposal,(in it’s current form), the recipients of such would need an income sufficient to service a 300 grand+ mortgage, (why not just put up a poster saying middle class income earners only need apply),

In such a case more of the production of New Zealand will simply flow out of New Zealand as bank profit for the foreign owned banks NOT having transited the local economy,

Under a Green policy however the reverse would be true,the ‘working poor’ would see themselves housed at 25% of household income thus freeing themselves from the private sectors 50-60% of income private rentals and freeing them to either save or spend into the local economy the difference in dollars between the two rental regimes,

That’s all a bit of a long-winded,(understatement),stating of the perceived difference in policy between Labour and the Greeens, there’s nothing frighteningly radical in the Green policy it is simply a copy of what was Labour policy,

The radicalism is tho apparent in the announced Labour policy and it is the radicalism of the middle class where the recipients of such Governmental largesse wont by dint of income be those who daily toil to clean the offices and infrasructure of those who devised it…

Touchee, good point, indeed why not???, the only constraint being that both Party’s would have to halve their relative policy,

In terms of the Reserve Bank’s inflationary targets building 10,000 extra houses a year would in terms of current and future short to medium term economics probably not create any inflationary problems within the current targets,

Building 20,000 extra houses a year tho probably would, the same ends tho would, sooner or later, be met in building 10,000 extra houses and allocating half that build to State rentals while allowing the ‘working poor’ access to these,(IE, those with an income insufficient to service a 300+ grand mortgage being accorded access on a priority basis)…

Building 20,000 extra houses a year tho probably would, the same ends tho would,

There’s ways to prevent that and one of the easiest and simplest would be to ban exporting of any and all construction materials such as wood. This would, effective;y, flood the local market with these materials dropping the price except that the government would then be using those same materials for house house building.

Problem is I’m not sure we export that many building materials apart from timber, and the ‘A’ grade log price remains at around US$130 a cubic metre, believe me there are not that many cubes in a house.

Labour’s housing policy is for the Bankster class. Sure, the middle class will think it’s for them as they get to buy affordable homes but the real benefits go to the banks who get to create more money at interest.

Well all this palava is just another reason to push my now left-heading vote to someone other than labour. I recall the shenanigans that went on when labour were last in power and did not like it not one little bit.

And from what I can tell things would be exactly the same if they are in power again.

And Clare Curran’s machinations around this particular issue confirms it.

Power to the people!

edit: beware the instinctive urge in labour to act as school teachers. it never seems to go away.

I have been head down in the workshop lately trying to pay bills, failing mostly, and have missed much of what has been going on. The little I have gleaned leaves me staggered and disgusted by the corrupt temerity of the Labour Party MP’s who have, by their silenct lack of action, given tacit approval of this abusive activity. The cadre of cowards that seem to be at the helm have done little but prepare the grave for what was once, yet is no longer, a political party NZ could be proud of.

Like many i have a few friends, i am not talking ‘friends with influence or position’ but real friends. Something Labour has obviously forgotten as it is friendship which built their Party. It is likely it is friendship which will also destroy it. Friends value and appreciate the efforts of all those who want the world to be a better place. Something else Labour has forgotten was their job to help achieve. Why these friends matter is simple and is well understood. You tell two friends and they tell two friends, and so on and so on and so on. The Labour Party, and their siamese sibling the NActs, deserve to lose handsomely at the next Election.

You know what? I honestly don’t think he would. but that doesn’t mean that I would ever stand by and let some shit tell someone else what to say, or even if they could say it.

I’d like to think that no matter how misguided CV is, he would echo my sentiments, but I think he has a personal visceral dislike for me that would probably get in the way. a la clare curran. the difference being that she has the power to affect him, CV doesn’t with me. No matter, I hope he is ok.

We might have to be carefully actually as in our haste to rein in the reign of coming terror and night of the knives in per feb, we might cause labour to implode.
Remember the affiliates has a sniff of their 40 percent and have a union block as MP, combined with a untamed and unbowed membership.
Perhaps time for each LEC to take stock, poll the members and quietly issue a internal directive stating exactly which direction the members want labour to take.
Do we want a more continual drift to the right or is it time to correct the electorate drift by reorganising and reconnecting thru active participation in the electrorate from MP as drivers of change.
Shall we sink beneath the Tory blue wave or do we take a stand and fight for what the real labour stands for….betterment of all and not the few.

We need a strong powerful Labour, an open inclusive labour with clear direction signalled early, a pathway outa the mire of neo lib, post capitalism darkness.

We don’t need a Tory light party that props up or harnesses the old dying one horse capitalist system to fund pet social program’s we need a New Direction completely.
Coming crunch of oil shock and climate change are our twin towers to be faced.

The problem tho is that while what you are saying is true we all have been saying the same thing over and over again since Sir(spit) Roger Douglas unleashed His brand new world vision upon us in 1984,

In that time we have had The Alliance and now the Green’s with the latter,(in my opinion being far more politically astute),

My devious self here urges me to invite a spanking by inserting my vote g…Gr…Gree…(can’t quite get it out), message because what you so rightly elucidate in your comment is encompassed in that Party’s policy,

My above comment’s in the post,(at first reading having little to do with the specific topic,sorry), address at one policy level the fact that on an economic level we all cannot keep expecting more, bigger, and better,

Even if one does not adhere to ‘Peak isms’ in resource based economics the basic tenet of ‘globalization’ says that as a population we have to expect wages not to rise markedly,(and view with disparagement those who attempt to sell us the snake oil of equality of income with out bigger neighbor)…

Note that New Lynn LEC’s complaint, rather than being dealt with by the central committee, was sent straight up to the Leader of Caucus for comment.

Thanks for that info. AD. To be fair, they would have to pass it to the Leader of Caucus for comment, but it’s got to come back to the NZ Council for a ruling. It won’t be a satisfactory ruling – that’s a given. But they might have the guts to remonstrate with the ABC club privately, and tell them to pull their horns in. Or: am I being overly optimistic?

I don’t comment here anymore, but I often read the threads. The one person that always stood out for me as being objective, thoughtful, politically knowledgeable and fair was CV. If he/she said something, I respected it. She/he is a lateral thinker which is rare and quite frankly this blog has lost someone very valuable. Hope she/he returns soon.

I have always voted Labour, both ticks, but Roger Douglas the chicago boys Pinochet NZ clone ensured I would never risk becoming a Labour member. Now I am forced to consider other voting options because of this latest nonsense and the TPPA double-speak from Labour which risks our children’s health, welfare, working rights, because it still plans to sign the pledge to American control with a few remit points that would be swallowed up in the small print.

If it is any consolation – this has all happened before and the Labour Party came out of it much stronger.

In the early 1990’s we had the Backbone Club, a bunch of Rogernomes who could not accept that it was their crap policies which had cost Labour the 1990 election. They buggered off to ACT but not before they has asset stripped several electorates where their candidates had not got selected. They left one electorate with $7 in the bank and another with a disfunctional computer supposedly worth $6,000 and pages and pages of supposed members who did not actually exist, or if they did, had no idea they were in the Labour Party.

After them were the followers of the biggest cult of the leader since Kim Il Sung. The bully boys of the MMSC swaggered around electorates as if they owned the place, paid for by the an early equivalent of a Super PAC. Canvassers for Labour now had an extra question added – “are you a Mike Moore supporter” and material which had previously had “NZLP” on it now had the dreaded “MMSC” logo.

The rank and file revolted, the leader changed, and the bully boys either repented or vanished.

Now that we have the internet, the disinfecting sunlight can be shone on these things a lot easier.

I will never vote anything other than Labour and I still pay my sub and my VFL. I hope history repeats, and from the look of it – aided by blogs like this, good people are coming to the aid of the Party.

Mike Moore was also sullied by his advocacy for the Compact, a tripartite agreement for a super collaboration between union leaders, business leaders and government which required major concession from the unions and which gave up the trade unions role as an independant advocate for their members but which proved to be very unpopular amongst many rank and file. Many trace the decline in union power in this country to the Union leaders top table imposition of Mike Moore’s Compact.

Two things bother me about all this – aside from the major issue of trying to curb freedom of speech, which is a basic human right.
1. Come February, what happens to little clusters of Labour members who do not belong to an LEC because of their size? If a vote should take place, will they have a voice? After the last election, branches were decimated.
2. WHEN has a new mp shot to the top of the tree and succeeded? It didn’t work for Don Brash and I don’t see it happening now.

To Ms X. The Party council did say that if the 60% threshold wasn’t reached and there was to be a party-wide vote, it would be a postal vote to all financial members.
However, from comments on this post, it doesn’t look as if there is likely to be a vote – sounds as if Shearer and his mates have tied up the whole of caucus to vote for him S.

By the way – I missed the comment about Goff being olde world and courteous. Ms Clifton hasn’t been given the full story about Goff in the late 1980s by her hand-holding drake – he (Goff) was one of the most vocal and brutal in attacking Lange in caucus – lots of nasty dog in that guy and in the others, of course.

Oh thank that was very interesting about goff.
Guess who models himself on Lange in Wellington or at least admired the man.?
Oh CV come back soon.

Once there was a man or woman brave bold and tall in the time of the Pax USA
Who told it how it is was and could be.
A man or woman who saw the future and wasn’t afraid to speak out.
Until the day up came a a loud silly animal with two humps who didn’t like noise one wee bit.
Either sling it or shut it cause I’ve got two humps big and strong….then
The clouds hid the sun, day went to night and the knives came out.
Rest in peace CV.

I have read all the comments on this apparent situation of intimidation of people like CV and others here over the last few days and have been utterly disgusted that any Labour Party caucus members would take such an approach to the rights of people to freedom of expression – whether or not they are party members and active in the party. If they thought that this was OK and would be kept under wraps, then they are very naive and should not be in senior positions in the party. Such actions are bound to back fire – both on them personally and on the party as a whole.

I had a quick look at KB earlier for the first time for months, and to give him his due, even PG is up in arms and supporting the views of many here. And under fire for doing so.

My support and best wishes go to CV and the others – hang in there and don’t give in. You have a lot of support. Kia Kaha.

Well said veutoviper.This is so not a Labour Party that I can vote for. What has happened to them? First the monstrous leadership charade and now this. I am beginning to see how Douglas highjacked the Labour party in the eighties. Without principles one is asking for trouble and I am not at all sure of the principles and values of today’s Labour anymore. I am not sure that I can trust them anymore than I can national. WOW, did I just type that???

Just been whispered that the hold up from central processing the new membership is due to understaffing of course but also to hold off all the new change supporters until next year registration where their voice and vote can’t be heard or count.
Whisper only at this stage….

“You may print this email as proof of provisional membership until your offical membership card arrives in the post’ and

“Once again we sincerely thank you for being a member of the Labour Party, it is very much appreciated” and

“Please print this confirmation for your records.”

As far as I am concerned, the wording above constitutes acceptance of my membership. AND I have it printed out on that same day. There was nothing on the internet form suggesting it was for next year’s subscription, so if there are any problems or attempts to suggest that, I will not let it rest.

All I can say there is a lot of whispering not worth listening too at this stage. Also a lot of shouting.

What I’d do is find a NZLP member with a membership book, slip him/her the current fee (I don’t know what that is since my membership comes with my ongoing automatic contribution to the annual giving plan) and have the little chittie that comes from the membership book all dated and fully kosher.

Q1.
What does Clare Curran and Chris Hiplins have in common?
A1.
They both were given good solid seats that they are screwing-up and leaving open to a National take-over. ( and are thus sucking up for high list positions)

Q2.
What does Darien Fenton and Jacinda Ardern have in common?
A2.
They both failed to ever win Electorate seats and build support among branch members. (and are thus sucking up for high list positions)

That’s the half the trouble MP have evolved into beltway hacks and have let the local party organisation run down terrible and have little involvement in their communities.
There are so so soooo many operational tactic and strategies that could be adopted for local elections.
Did CC Dunedin south even consider why the party vote swung away from her and labour in such a traditional safe and resourced seat.

After reading the anger of a good number of the punters on here & who’s sentiments are also reflected by a good deal of the voting public.

Perhaps consideration should given to forming a ‘new’ political party to the Left. 5% to 8% is not unrealistic given the wave of unsatisfied punters out there. Certainly be a good way of keeping a Labour/Green coalition where they should be, ‘on a bloody LEFT course.’

Clare Curran’s greatest hits (this is an update of a post I made on Danyl’s blog a while back)

I keep hearing how Curran is a communications expert, and seeing absolutely no evidence of it. As Labour’s telecommunications spokesperson she appears to be technically ignorant and of average literacy at best. Examples:

https://twitter.com/#!/clarecurranmp/status/117484871269617664
Curran goes full retard by accusing Cameron Slater, David Farrar, Matthew Hooton, the Young Nationals, and (this is a verbatim quote) “the non-Labour left” of conspiring together to attack Labour. No shit, she said “the non-Labour left”. So there’s an evil conspiracy against Labour being masterminded by the National Party, right-leaning private citizens, and everyone else in the world who isn’t part of Labour. That’s a pretty big conspiracy, eh.

Are there loudness discrepancies found on NZ TV adverts vs progs and if so should they be monitored and a unified national standard created?

Curran, Labour spokesperson for Communications and Information Technology, decides that the subjective difference between the loudness of TV shows and TV ads is so important as to require monitoring and national standards. For bonus lols: check the datestamp, she decided and proclaimed this DURING THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN. Presumably there was nothing else important going on.

Remember, this is a person who thought that of all the issues facing families, workers, and beneficiaries in Dunedin South the most important thing to thrust into the spotlight in Parliament was her support of the Highlanders Super Rugby jersey. Understandable of course, what with it being a taonga with the cultural significance that only comes with not actually existing before 1996 and being manufactured by a German sportswear company in China.

Epic comment is epic. I’ve long been an avid consumer of Curran’s social media fuckups (and I would dearly love to know how much of her handiwork went into the fucking ridiculous #Labour2012 guidelines) but seeing it all laid out in one go is … epic.

There’s such an immediate, obvious difference between people who have come to use social media and online engagement “naturally” (usually Gen Ys but not always, and not all Gen Ys are social media geeks) and those who, usually due to working in marketing, are trying to muscle in on the cool new territory. Curran is most definitely in the latter camp.

those who, usually due to working in marketing, are trying to muscle in on the cool new territory.

One of my major dislikes. Every time people put effort into developing excellent communication systems for people to use socially for free, the marketing & biz types want in on the action, thus undermining the initial purpose.

The thing is, I can see how there’s a right way for corporate organisations to use social media. If they’re providing their services or information about their services on a platform where their audience is, kind of thing.

But then you get the ones who are all “we have to be on Twitter! Because that’s what organisations do!!!” and then they hire marketers who suggest obnoxious things like sponsored ads and then it all goes to shit and the people find a new platform to have their conversations the way they like them.

It gets worse and goes downhill from there.
Now poor Clare I know naughty us but she is a symbol for what’s wrong with the labour party, perceived as right of centre and weak disconnected to the community as the last election results portrayed.
The pizza crew waving signs on street corners do a better job advertising their brand and message.
A local Maori community service provider recently opened their newly renoed modest premises at a function….was labour there I wonder.

Ohhhhh escalation that would cause such severe media and potential poll hit that CV would be demonised and shot at dawn, and if we lose in 2014 cause of any distraction….
It would play into the Tories smug hands.

CV would have my support if they didn’t make a complaint. I’ve been subjected to the analogous situation of workplace bullying in the past, and went through a protracted complaint process. I fully appreciate how how gruelling it can be, how it can leave permanent effects in terms of relationships and health. It’s all very well to say “damn the consequences”, but if CV goes ahead, CV will have to endure the consequences. What they need is the support of other people. That’s why I was in a union and why I’m staying in one.

Yes, Curran is an utterly vile individual, and that “nice guy” Shearer, by enabling her at the very least, is culpable.

+1, Rhino. It is strictly up to CV and the others as to how they handle this. I have also been “there” and know how much it takes at the time and the longer term effects – even if you win at the time. I will respect them – and any decision that they make. They are all people whose comments on here I have appreciated and respected even if I have not necessarily agreed.

What has amazed me is the number and range of people who have come out in support of CV and the others’ democratic rights to express their views. In fact I have found it quite uplifting and feel that we can work together for the greater good – while respecting that we are not all going to agree all of the time. If we can meld this into something bigger, then there is hope. Lets turn a negative into a positive.

See also this comment for why you should never comment at Red Alert (because as far as Labour/Clare Curran is concerned, “Open Government” means “we demand transparency of the government while in opposition but deny basic freedom of expression to people who disagree with us”)

A summary if I may be so bold…
CV and a few others so far have been nobbled by either direct approach and or complaint to labour party HQ, by um well a unnamed labour MP, about their online blogging so have gone into hiding so to speak, apart from the odd beer or two with his mates. Virtual and otherwise.
Then behold the true and bold on here stood up in solidarity and did a grand show of support via the name game thing.
Now the game is up and the call has gone out far and wide. Sharpen your pen sword as it would seem blogging members are for the chop or knife.
My take wheel within wheel within another wheel as the party members find there voice and demand meaningful and directional change and this is causing discomfort to the ruling labour elite.

Wow, some pretty strong hating going on on this page. Whatever your perception of some Labour MPs and your own ideals, just remember you are talking about/hating on another human being here, and as we have seen recently in the UK, disparagement of others can have nasty consequences.
Are you all so absolutely sure of your claims, accusations? Sure hope so.
Just noticing and just saying.

Well cc won selection by one floor vote it would seem, I was sick that day and could not make it, got some flack for that one my bad.
I hate hate hate the Tories and this evil system that shackles the people to provide wealth to avert few.
We need each and every electorate to provide the maxamum amount of party votes come election time. We need unity and connective ness and a modern operational approach to systematically lockin voters now now one not in two years time.

This election starts now for the LP but we need strong caucus and strong policy, we need motivated and strong activist who have a plan to get the message out.
Bold thinking is needed now…

Oh, fuck off. We’re criticising the actions of a person. Shitty actions, pointless actions, destructive actions, and you want to fucking guilt-trip us by associating blog comments with driving people to suicide?

Here in Purgatory we sing songs to sooth the soul of CV. We also have the devils lining up to punish his oppressors: so cut the bollocks please, wont somebody name and shame the guilty party please in full detail, technicolor with damning evidence.

Hersay from those directly involved and a blogger on Michael winters blog stating they have seen the letter should be enough….
One peasant to another “what’s that smell”
Oh that the elites they are revolting.

Has anyone seen any evidence to establish what CV is saying is actually A Real Thing and (if it is) looked at both sides of the story? It wouldn’t be the first time in history that someone has decided it is more fun to be the news, rather than just comment on it.

Worth while pausing and reflecting before we break out the torches and pitchforks, perhaps?

I have no idea. Nor, I suspect, do most of the infant vipers squirming about here. But I see a lot of people running very fast in one direction, shouting “Burn the Witch!” and that’s usually not a good thing.

A team game where the captain makes the decisions supported by loyal players, a game plan is followed by bowlers and fielders when the opposition is batting and by the batsmen when their turn is to bat even at the cost of sacrificing their wickets for the good of the team, different skill sets are exercised by various players from a variety of backgrounds, with the same basic rules applying to both sides.

Each team tends to have ardent followers and trenchant critics, especially when the team is not playing well. Individual players can be also criticised for uneven performances even at a distance from the game and with little knowledge by the critics of the playing conditions, captain’s instructions and the basis for his decisions.

Ground staff, umpires, coaches, selectors can also be held accountable reasonably or unreasonably by dissatisfied fans.

Especially known for bias and favouritism are commentators and sports writers. Some have even been accused of interviewing their own typewriters.

Generally, the critics most informed are those who turn up for the actual game, sit on the boundary and watch the action, knowledgeably. Some even keep scoring books.

Some, however, don’t watch matches, and even support other teams. Others only support their team when it is winning. Others again know that cricket is most of all a confidence game where players are easily distracted by sledging and barracking.

A few even run betting schemes and try to influence the play by match fixing and improper use of appeals and review authorities.

Lastly, most of the public take a slight interest in the game at peak times when important tests are being played and for the rest of the time follow other sports, if at all.

Sorry; I have been a bit out of touch, I have just read the above and No Right Turn’s take on this and he was brilliantly succinct as usual. I say to CV don’t be intimidated, stand tall and if this bitch insists on her bullying tactics then threaten to DEFECT! EN MASS ! There is always the Greens and the Mana Party.

I am a Greenie but having said that I am getting disillusioned with the partisan political system and I will explain why. It has one fundamental weakness; it focuses on personalities rather than the issues which is why it is very easy for ‘business groups’ to infiltrate a number of parties.

Remember politicians don’t like referendums and the neo liberals have had headaches infiltrating the Swiss system.

Yes I remember that but I didn’t feel that sorry for Lange because a few years earlier when Labour was in opposition Douglas was sacked by Rowling! Remember? Lange should have learnt from that but Oh no Douglas and Prebble were dangling the golden grail of power to get rid of Muldoon.
Strange I remember that better tan last week.

This whole situation is appalling. While I hardly ever agree with CV, his writings are always well considered and well written. Someone needs to give a certain south Dunedin MP a swift kick up the slats. Anyone that thinks muzzling genuine criticism and robust discussion is a help to democracy, needs to stand aside. I respect CV’s, and Millsy’s comments and I look forward to their early return to these pages.
Greg.

Bollocks, he’s a frickin’ lunatic. Half the time arguing with him is like talking to a religious nut with his fingers in his ears chanting “lalalala can’t hear you Jesus Jesus Jesus”.

But that’s entirely beyond the point. To have been threatened with naming and shaming for posts made pseudonymously on one site by person(s) who have access to logs of posts made on another is disgusting.

I don’t care if he’s a drooling halfwit or Thomas Aquinas, Colonial Viper is now “us” and those threatening him are now “them”.

To have inspired in me feelings of solidarity with Colonial Viper is yet another crime to add to the list for which the current Labour management cabal should be held accountable.

I have so far resisted to get “vipered”, am not intending to “viporise”, but am impressed by this convincing viper passion shown in this thread. It will surely send a message “home”, wherever that may be in future.

Just read about CV. Did this seriously happen? Clare Curran is one of the electorate MP’s down here and is not well liked, lost the party vote to National in a strong Labour seat. I don’t agree with much (anything?) CV has to say, but his right to say it in anonymity needs to be protected. The fact that Curran beleives she should ‘out’ him, to exert control over the message is the lowest form of censorship. What a scumbag.

I am left wondering that if by association in agreeing with CV when he blogged regarding the Labour leadership that in future when I correspond with a labour MP on a matter of complaint unrelated to the leadership, that I will be treated in a different manner (marked for pay back) than I have formerly been treated.

Well you can all read her response
Notice the parts where she says “not at any point have I sought disciplinay action against any indvidual” & ‘she had not used individual names’ & that CV had identified themself
You guys at the standard are pretty good at organising a witch hunt. There is always more to hearsay than meets the eye.[Bunji: fixed link]

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There appears to be consensus – by omission – that the concept of indigenous futures should be accepted at face value. So I scavenged the internet to see if I could locate an academic descriptor or a framework around how we think about it as a concept, and whether it ...

Here’s another novelty chocolate to shove in your gob, New Zealand Cadbury could be seeking to make itself great again with a rumoured new release: Pineapple Trumps, a spin on its classic chocolate-encased pineapple treat and do-it-yourself tooth remover. The global confectionery manufacturer and bumbling “before” character in an infomercial, ...

During my time in the Pentagon I had the privilege of sitting down with military leaders and defence and security officials from a variety of Latin American nations. Sometimes I was present as a subordinate assistant to a senior US defence department official, sometimes as part of a delegation that ...

Kia ora, Aotearoa. It’s that magical time of year. Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. In English, the week that frightens talk radio. As you probably know by now, all your favourite media outlets are participating, some more successfully than others. Stuff has changed its name to Puna for the ...

Eighteen months ago, the government promised to strengthen the Bill of Rights Act, by explicitly affirming the power of the courts to issue declarations of inconsistency and requiring Parliament to formally respond to them. So how's that going? I was curious, so I asked for all advice about the proposal. ...

As the Brexit saga staggers on, the focus is naturally enough on the Prime Minister and his attempts to achieve Brexit “do or die”. But the role played by the Leader of the Opposition is of almost equal interest and complexity. The first problem for Jeremy Corbyn is that he ...

Last week, English Prime Minister Boris Johnson boldly declared that he would rather die be dead in a ditch than delay Brexit. Unfortunately for him, the UK parliament accepted the challenge, and promptly dug one for him. The "rebellion bill" requires him to ask for and secure yet another temporary ...

Lost In Political Space: The most important takeaway from this latest Labour sexual assault scandal, which (if I may paraphrase Nixon’s White House counsel’s, John Dean’s, infamous description of Watergate) is “growing like a cancer” on the premiership, is the Labour Party organisation’s extraordinary professional paralysis in the face of ...

by Daphna Whitmore Every Sunday for the past two months unionists from First Union, with supporters from other unions, have set out to the Ihumatao land protest, put up gazebos and gas barbeques, and cooked food for a few hundred locals and supporters who have come from across the country. ...

Newsroom today has an excellent, in-depth article on pine trees as carbon sinks. The TL;DR is that pine is really good at soaking up carbon, but people prefer far-less efficient native forests instead. Which is understandable, but there's two problems: firstly, we've pissed about so long on this problem that ...

Canan Kaftancioglu is a Turkish politician and member of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP). Like most modern politicians, she tweets, and uses the platform to criticise the Turkish government. She has criticised them over the death of a 14-year-old boy who was hit by a tear gas grenade during ...

Hi there, just call me Tim.We face tough problems, and I’d like to help, because there are solutions.An Auckand District Health Board member has nominated me for as a candidate for the ADHB, because her MS-related pain and fatigue is reduced with hemp products from Rotorua. Nothing else helped her. If I ...

The Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security has published their report on whether the SIS and GCSB had any complicity in American torture. And its damning. The pull quote is this:The Inquiry found both agencies, but to a much greater degree, the NZSIS, received many intelligence reports obtained from detainees who, ...

Bewhiskered Cassandra? Professor Hugh White’s chilling suggestion, advanced to select collections of academic, military and diplomatic Kiwi experts over the course of the past week, is that the assumptions upon which Australia and New Zealand have built their foreign affairs and defence policies for practically their entire histories – are ...

For most of the time I was a British MP, my party was out of government – these were the Thatcher years, when it was hard for anyone else to get a look-in. As a front-bencher and shadow minister, I became familiar with the strategies required in a parliamentary democracy ...

by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh On August 29th a video in which veteran FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) commander Iván Márquez announced that they had taken up arms again was released. There was no delay in the reaction to it, from longtime Liberal Party figure and former president Uribe, for ...

Air New Zealand couldn’t believe its luck that this seemingly ideal piece of real estate had so far gone entirely unnoticed. Air New Zealand’s search for a site to build a second Auckland Airport may have made a breakthrough this afternoon, after employees scanning Google satellite imagery spotted a huge, ...

No-one on the anti-capitalist left in this country today puts forward a case that Labour is on the side of the working class. There are certainly people who call themselves ‘socialist’ who do, but they are essentially liberals with vested interests in Labourism – often for career reasons. Nevertheless, there ...

When National was in government and fucking over the poor for the benefit of the rich, foodbanks were a growth industry. And now Labour is in charge, nothing has changed: A huge demand for emergency food parcels means the Auckland City Mission is struggling to prepare for the impending arrival ...

Gayford, pictured here on The Project, before things got wildly out of control. A bold public relations move by the Government to encourage parents to vaccinate their children has gone horribly wrong. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern appeared on tonight’s episode of Three’s The Project, where the plan was for her ...

Mr. Whippy’s business model has driven it down a dark road of intimidation. Residents in major centres around the country are becoming disgruntled by the increasingly aggressive actions of purported ice cream company Mr. Whippy, who have taken to parking on people’s front lawns and doorsteps in a desperate attempt ...

Today the government released its Action Plan for Healthy Waterways, aimed at cleaning up our lakes and rivers. Its actually quite good. There will be protection for wetlands, better standards for swimming spots, a requirement for continuous improvement, and better standards for wastewater and stormwater. But most importantly, there's a ...

Today I appeared before the Environment Committee to give an oral submission on the Zero Carbon Bill. Over 1,500 people have asked to appear in person, so they've divided into subcommittees and are off touring the country, giving people a five minute slot each. The other submitters were a mixed ...

Anti-fluoride activists have some wealthy backers – they are erecting billboards misrepresenting the Canadian study on many New Zealand cities – and local authorities are ordering their removal because of their scaremongering. Many New Zealanders ...

So, those who “know best” have again done their worst. While constantly claiming to be the guardians of democracy and the constitution, and respecters of the 2016 referendum result, diehard Remainers (who have never brought themselves to believe that their advice could have been rejected) have striven might and main ...

Following publication of this article, the Ministry has requested it to be noted that this supplied image is not necessarily representative of what the final house will look like, and it “probably won’t be that nice.” As part of today’s long-anticipated reset of the Government’s flagship KiwiBuild policy, Housing Minister ...

Over the next week or two we will be running three synopses of parts of the opening chapter of John Smith’s Imperialism in the 21st Century (New York, Monthly Review Press, 2016). The synopsis and commentary below is written by Phil Duncan. Marx began Capital not with a sweeping historical ...

The State Services Commission and Ombudsman have released another batch of OIA statistics, covering the last six months. Request volumes are up, and the core public service is generally handling them within the legal timeframe, though this may be because they've learned to extend rather than just ignore things. And ...

In 1994, I was editing an ambitious street mag called Planet, from a fabled office at at 309 Karangahape Road. The thirteenth issue of the magazine was published in the winter of that year and its cover embodied a particularly ambitious goal: the end of cannabis prohibition.I wanted to do ...

KiwiBuild was one of the Ardern government's core policies. The government would end the housing crisis and make housing affordable again by building 100,000 new homes. Of course, it didn't work out like that: targets weren't met, the houses they did build were in the wrong place, and the whole ...

As the climate crisis escalates, it is now obvious that we need to radically decarbonise our economy. The good news is that its looking easy and profitable for the energy sector. Wind is already cheaper than fossil fuels, and now solar is too:The levellised cost of solar PV has fallen ...

A Crown Asset? For reasons relating to its own political convenience, the Crown pretends to believe that “No one owns the water.” To say otherwise would re-vivify the promises contained in the Treaty of Waitangi – most particularly those pertaining to the power of the chiefs and their proprietary rights ...

Most people would say, no doubt, that they have a pretty good idea of what money is. They live with the reality of money every day. It is what is needed to buy the necessities of life and to maintain a decent standard of living. You get money, they would ...

The article below was an opinion piece that appeared in the Spring 2019 issue of Te Awa (the NZ Green Party’s newsletter) and on the Greens website. In keeping with their policy of hostility to women defending women’s right to female-only spaces, Green bureaucrats have since removed the opinion piece. ...

Longer term readers may remember my complaining that, as a political scientist, it is burdensome to have non-political scientists wanting to engage me about politics. No layperson would think to approach an astrophysicist and lecture him/her on the finer details of quarks and black holes, but everybody with an opinion ...

Joining The Fight: Stevan Eldred-Grigg's argument for New Zealand staying out of the Second World War fails not only on the hard-headed grounds of preserving the country’s strategic and economic interests; and not just on the soft-hearted grounds of duty and loyalty to the nation that had given New Zealand ...

On September 27, School Strike 4 Climate will be striking for a future to pressure the government for meaningful climate action. This time, they've asked adults to join them. And now, Lincoln University and Victoria University of Wellington have signed on:Victoria University of Wellington has joined Lincoln University in endorsing ...

Another day, another constitutional outrage in the UK. This time, the government is saying that if parliament passes a law to stop Brexit before being prorogued, they may just ignore it:A senior cabinet minister has suggested Boris Johnson could defy legislation to prevent a no-deal Brexit if it is forced ...

Dum-de-doo. Children across New Zealand have known him for generations as the lovable giraffe who tells them to exercise, hydrate and not to shove lit cigarettes up their nostrils. But a world renowned giraffe expert says we shouldn’t be getting attached to Life Education’s Harold the Giraffe, as he is ...

By Mike Hosking. Yesterday morning, I waltzed into work, and as I walked past the drones aggressively typing out news on the computers I’ve repeatedly asked to be moved further away from, I caught a glimpse of the words “climate change”, and noticed that suspiciously they weren’t in condescending quotation ...

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National's Deputy Leader Paula Bennett spent the week claiming a serious cover-up in the Prime Minister's office. She used parliamentary privilege to name three of the Prime Minister's closest advisors who, she says, knew about the sexual assault ...

“The Game Animal Council is concerned that the Government’s second tranche of firearms legislation released today may contain unreasonable provisions that will unfairly impact hunters,” says Game Animal Council Chair Don Hammond. ...

Government policy work on the Carbon Zero bill highlights connections between climate change, carbon sequestration and agriculture. Water quality and allocation are also topical with the release of the Draft Policy Statement for Freshwater Management ...

DairyNZ Chief Executive Dr Tim Mackle is welcoming this afternoon’s announcement that consultation on Essential Freshwater has been extended by two weeks - but is calling on the Minister to go further. ...

Immigration New Zealand could really benefit from an large investment of money, comments Ms June Ranson, chair of the New Zealand Association for Migration and Investment (NZAMI) , a leading voice in the immigration sector. “Instead of spending $25m ...

In recent times there has been no shortage of commentary regarding whistleblowers, with the proposed amendments to the Protected Disclosures Act 2000. These are aimed at strengthening the protection available to whistleblowers in New Zealand. That ...

Gun Control NZ strongly welcomes the comprehensive gun law reform bill and calls on all political parties to support it. Gun Control NZ encourages New Zealanders to let their MPs know they support this Bill, submit to the Select Committee, and ...

Federated Farmers agrees with most of the steps by government to protect people from illegal or irresponsible firearms use. But concerns about pest control and the effectiveness of a register remain. ...

Today at Parliament the NZ Drug Foundation released Taking control of cannabis: A model for responsible regulation, a new report that shows how we can take back control of cannabis from organised crime. ...

Smoking kills 5,000 Kiwis each year, so any government policies to help reduce smoking are a good thing. However, the current approaches are not working nor will the proposed limit on flavoured e-liquid that Associate Minister Salesa announced on the news ...

A petition, that promises a significant and dramatic improvement for the New Zealand economy, was handed to Dr Deborah Russell, the MP for New Lynn today. The petition, signed by over 5,000 New Zealanders addresses our crippling level of debt as well ...

The New Zealand Medical Association welcomes the announcement of an Initial Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. We look forward to working with the newly appointed Chair Hayden Wano and the Commission. “It is vital that the steps to mental health ...

For anyone who even randomly follows the news will know that Hong Kong has been embroiled in demonstrations for months. These sometimes bloody demonstrations initially started as a result of a proposed Extradition Bill whereby there would be special ...

The release yesterday of Port Otago’s financial result for 2019, outlining a 12% increase and profits, including the news that the Chief Executive had received a $100,000 pay increase taking his remuneration to between $610,000-620,000, is like ...

“ I continue to be amazed at the incompetence of this Government when it comes to suicide prevention and mental health. Not only is this Government about to appoint a regional coroner who has a history of under reporting suicides amongst children ...

The Far North District Council (FNDC) and the Whangarei District Council (WDC) have lodged a joint appeal against the Northland Regional Council’s (NRC) omission of precautionary rules in its plan. [1] ...

The Chairman of the Authority, Judge Colin Doherty, has agreed to assist the Hong Kong Independent Police Complaints Council (IPCC) as a member of an international panel to provide high level advice to the IPCC in relation to its proposed "Thematic ...

“Putting families into motels is a temporary fix for desperate situations, rather than a sustainable solution to problems of poverty and homelessness,” says Scott Figenshow, Chief Executive of Community Housing Aotearoa. He was commenting on media ...

The New Zealand Psychological Society (NZPsS) says the current partial strike by 600 psychologists working in district health boards is a sign that temporary fixes to ongoing workforce shortages in the profession are not working. ...

New Zealand’s contribution to military operations in Malaya and Malaysia from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s will be commemorated in a national service held at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park at 11.00am on Monday 16 September. ...

The resignation of the President of the Labour Party over the sex pest allegations was inevitable. It was inevitable because of his appalling handling of the situation so far; and, because in situations like this where there has to be a “fall guy” ...

Yesterday Hon Grant Robertson Minister of Finance issued a welcome ‘clear directive’ in the press to ensure every Government considers the wellbeing of New Zealanders when creating future budgets . ...

The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa has written to Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters today urging that New Zealand condemn the Israeli Prime Minister’s planned annexation of vast tracts of the occupied West Bank of Palestine. ...

Today Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence (NPM) releases its next Te Arotahi paper calling on government to pay even closer attention to the issues of whānau and whakapapa within the criminal justice system. ...

“Technology adoption supports higher productivity growth, higher income growth and increased resources to pay for the things New Zealanders’ value. But the main problem facing New Zealand today isn’t too much technology, it’s not enough,” ...

Federated Farmers is asking nicely - please can the Government immediately extend the timeframe of the Essential Freshwater consultation so we can find a pathway forward that provides for both the health of the water, the health of people and the health ...

Youthline applauds the Government’s commitment to boosting mental health and addiction programmes and its intention to establish a Suicide Prevention Office but we urge swifter action in relation to implementing the programmes announced in the last budget ...

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An Auckland mayoral candidate has broken the internet* by announcing a plan for a monorail around the central city. Who is Craig Lord, and is he serious? Alex Braae spoke to him shortly after his campaign launch to find out.The Spinoff local election coverage is made possible thanks to The SpinoffMembers. ...

Antibiotics are becoming increasingly less effective, so what treatments can we use when the drugs stop working? With help from plant extracts, award-winning company HerbScience is set to breathe new life into how we treat bacterial infections.When Cynthia Hunefeld was just 10 years old, her father was hospitalised with a ...

For some, it symbolises the very backbone of New Zealand’s food culture. But can Kiwi onion dip survive after the factory that makes reduced cream is shut down?The Australian factory that makes Nestlé reduced cream, an integral ingredient in Kiwi onion dip, is shutting down, casting a shadow over the ...

Every year Matariki X brings Māori innovators and entrepreneurs together to share their experiences and inspire one another. Callaghan Innovation’s Vinnie Campbell says the Māori economy’s biggest strengths have nothing to do with money.This story was funded by The Spinoff Members. For more about becoming a member and supporting The ...

Today marks the start of Covering Climate Now. To launch the week, the New Zealand climate change minister, James Shaw, writes an open letter to participants in the School Strike 4 Climate ahead of their day of action later this month.The Spinoff’s participation in Covering Climate Now is thanks to ...

National’s new agriculture spokesperson finds himself in one of the party’s most important portfolios, at a time of dramatically increasing tensions in the sector. Will Todd Muller, a man regularly mentioned as a future leader contender, find common ground?Todd Muller’s obsession with politics began with an American encyclopaedia, which his ...

Miss June’s Bad Luck Party was recorded literally between hospital shifts, and their summer schedule includes both festival dates and their frontwoman’s graduation from medical school. We sat down with the band to ask just how, exactly, they’ve survived so far.The first years of life for Tāmaki Makaurau pop-punk quartet ...

The following four short extracts are from A City Possessed: The Christchurch Child Crèche Case by Lynley Hood, which has just been reprinted by Otago University Press. The book was first published in 2001 and won the Montana Medal for Non-Fiction at the Montana New Zealand Book Awards. The controversial ...

Hamilton councillors have drawn headlines this year for being anti-science and insensitive to terror victims. At a mayoral debate on Wednesday, there were signs a campaign for change is gathering force.The Spinoff local election coverage is made possible thanks to The SpinoffMembers. For more about becoming a member and supporting The Spinoff’s journalism click ...

The Spinoff editor writes on the story that has engulfed NZ politics this week.One of the very few positive things to come out of a hideous week in New Zealand politics has been the sieving-out of the blinkered, partisan zealots. On one side, those who are ready to conjure up ...

In June 2018, Rawinia Higgins was appointed chairperson of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori. She’s the first female and the first te reo Māori second-language speaker to hold the role, and during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, she sat down with The Spinoff to talk about her ...

Compulsory New Zealand history in schools is an exciting opportunity but it’s crucial we’re critical of the stories we tell ourselves, writes Dr Aroha Harris. History is not simply an assemblage of facts and evidence. History is also the interrogation of those things.This may be unsettling news for some, including the ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Senior Research Fellow, Moral philosophy, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Law Futures Centre, Griffith University Argument is everywhere. From the kitchen table to the boardroom to the highest echelons of power, we all use argument to persuade, investigate new ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alastair Blanshard, Paul Eliadis Chair of Classics and Ancient History Deputy Head of School, The University of Queensland Comedy often succeeds where tragedy fails. Fangirls, the pop musical which premiered on Thursday night in Brisbane, is not the first drama to explore ...

On the 10th anniversary of the infamous “Imma let you finish” episode, Josie Adams reflects on what this moment revealed about both Taylor Swift and Kanye West.Cast your mind back a decade: 2009 DJ Earworm was still good, Barack Obama was sworn in as president of the US, Israeli ground ...

Analysis - An astounding week in politics has left Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern carrying responsibility for sorting out the mess the Labour Party is in over the sexual assault allegation, writes Peter Wilson. ...

Police Minister Stuart Nash has confirmed details of a new bill that will create a registry of guns, and new offences and penalties for illegal manufacture, trafficking or changing markings of firearms. ...

Charli XCX has just released her latest album, Charli. The futuristic musician is always looking ahead, and so are her fans. We’ve paired each star sign with their perfect Charli XCX song.Charli XCX burst onto the scene in 2012, when she co-wrote and performed electro-pop headbanger ‘I Love It’ with ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Benedict Sheehy, Associate professor, University of Canberra British health-care conglomerate Bupa runs more nursing homes in Australia than anyone else. We now know its record in meeting basic standards of care is also worse than any other provider. This is more than ...

Fable is best remembered for the disastrous, over-the-top promises made by its designer Peter Molyneux. But maybe, Adam Goodall argues, we’re remembering it all wrong.“There is something I have to say. And I have to say it because I love making games.” So opens an October 2004 post on the ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hugh Breakey, Senior Research Fellow, Moral philosophy, Institute for Ethics, Governance & Law, Law Futures Centre, Griffith University Argument is everywhere. From the kitchen table to the boardroom to the highest echelons of power, we all use argument to persuade, investigate new ...

The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington.AUCKLAND1 Native Son: The Writer’s Memoir by Witi Ihimaera (Penguin Random House, $40)Stand by for a review from ...

Tara Ward delved into Māori TV’s impressive OnDemand catalogue and found some of the best TV taonga for your viewing pleasure. From lifestyle shows to documentaries, from current affairs to reality TV, Māori TV has an abundance of quality telly that celebrates and acknowledges the people, places and cultures of ...

A new poem by London-based poet Morgan Bach.Turning, hurtlingI march diligently to sunshine in the parkeverything bathed and turning golden.A woman breathes fire by the folly framing herlike a personal door to hell. Conkers are pitched from high boughsto break and give up fruit, a spire emergent from the baring ...

Simon Day learns about the history and power of Chinese five-spice. Both the origins of Chinese five-spice and the flavour itself are a little mysterious. My internet investigations revealed the powder’s name could be in reference to the use of five spices (although this often grows to six or seven), or ...

Revelations around alleged sexual assault by a Labour staffer and the party inquiry into his behaviour have dominated the week. Alex Casey and Mihi Forbes join Gone By Lunchtime to survey the damage.Alex Casey, author of the Spinoff feature published on Monday, “A Labour volunteer alleged a violent sexual assault ...

In the fourth episode of Actually Interesting, The Spinoff’s monthly podcast exploring the effect AI has on our lives, Russell Brown speaks to Ana Arriola, general manager and partner at Microsoft AI and Research, about ethics and transparency in tech.Subscribe to Actually Interesting via iTunes or listen on the player below.To download this ...

Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage.New Zealand Parliament Buildings, Wellington, New Zealand.Today’s content by Dr Bryce Edwards.Labour Party sexual assault allegations Andrea Vance (Stuff): How to make the Labour abuse scandal ...

Toi Kai Rākau Iti, who is running in the Eastern Bay of Plenty Kohi Māori constituency, encounters an unlikely channel of youth engagement.In te ao Māori you’re always looking for tohu, or symbols. They guide you through uncertain territory and help you make sense of the world. The arrival of ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tomer Ventura, Senior Lecturer, School of Science and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast The creation of all-male or all-female groups of animals, known as monosex populations, has become a potentially useful approach in aquaculture and livestock rearing. Researchers and those in ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Holmes, Director, Climate Change Communication Research Hub, Monash University Predictably, both major political parties are resisting calls this week for a parliamentary conscience vote to declare a climate emergency in Australia. The resistance is unsurprising because both the Coalition and Labor ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elizabeth Shi, Lecturer, Graduate School of Business and Law, RMIT University If the Religious Discrimination Bill passes into law, women may find it harder to get an abortion. That’s because health practitioners with an objection to performing the procedure on religious grounds ...